Domfront / Barenton

The exit from Domfront isn't easy, with a steep slope and a lot of traffic. However, La Véloscénie then joins a greenway, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful, typical Bocage Normand countryside, particularly beside the Sélune River.

Take great care heading down from Domfront to join the greenway at the bottom of town, as the slope is very steep and the D 976 road here is very busy. After that, follow the peaceful greenway to Barenton.

Links

At the bottom of Domfront, there's another greenway heading north almost as far as Flers station.

Poiré, or perry, is a speciality of the area around the historic town of Domfront. It's made using fermented pear juice. This juice mainly comes from pear trees of the Plant de Blanc variety. You can spot pear trees all around the area, in orchards and hedgerows. Some of the tallest are several hundred years old. Poiré de Domfront is fruity, sparkling and has a low alchohol content (4º volume). It makes a refreshing apéritif, or can be drunk with meats or puddings.

The Breton Marches

In the Middle Ages, the term 'Marches' was given to regions on the French kingdom's frontiers. They were provided with formidable defences to put off threatening neighbours. Created back in the 8th century, the Breton Marches included the regions around Nantes, Rennes and Vannes, before being extended along the Loire. The dense network of medieval castles and fortresses in the Marches bears witness to their strategic importance.